"In this age of outcomes measurement, many academic librarians are focused—and rightly so—on making sure they best serve students. Yet students are not the only population of end users on an academic campus. Faculty, too, are conduits not only to students but to library users in their own right. As well, studies of faculty attitudes such as Ithaka’s often show that, even as faculty increasingly depend on library-brokered online access to expensive databases and electronic journals, the off-site availability of modern resources may leave many faculty members less aware of the crucial role of the library in their and their students’ workflow."

"In my estimation, librarians are the perfect ‘digital docents’ for the 21st century’s digital content. From what I’ve read, many in the field of library sciences have been fretting about where they fit into the digital shift, so the time is now to assert that librarians (as a profession) will be MORE in need by society in the future than ever before. There should be more jobs, not fewer, for library students. They are the professional and ethical curators of the digital world, essential to our cultural transition. And we couldn’t be in better hands!" - See more at: http://digitalmediadiet.com/?p=3205#sthash.G195kvCG.hNauw3dC.dpuf

We are all aggregators (and publishers) now: how discovery tools empower libraries, by Steven David Shapiro

Abstract:

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that the new generation of discovery technologies empower libraries to behave like “aggregators” and “publishers”. The paper summarizes Montclair State University's experience with the EDS discovery service and also includes examples from other institutions.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses the experiences of several institutions to show the value of discovery tools and other technologies like institutional repositories in enhancing the role of academic libraries in higher education. Statistics and surveys culled from a variety of sources are cited in support of this contention.

Findings – Many institutions are successfully incorporating discovery and other technologies (i.e. institutional repositories) in repositioning and reinvigorating the academic library.

Practical implications – Academic libraries willing to make the investment in these technologies can capture the interest of their faculty, staff, and students.

Originality/value – The paper provides an innovative perspective on the use of discovery and other complementary technologies that act in a synergistic way to strengthen the bond between libraries and their users.

By Bob Al-Greene"Print -- literature, journalism, you name it -- has experienced an extended obituary over the last decade, alongside the rise of digital media.But a recent Pew study found that even as sales of e-readers like Nook and Kindle grow swiftly, young people still frequent libraries more than you might think, and print books remain popular. Even the most plugged-in lit fans are not ready to abandon print as a dead medium. In fact, e-book readers consume more books annually, no matter the format."

"Information literacy has been identified as a necessary skill for life, work and citizenship - as well as for academic study - for all of us living in today's information society. This international collection brings together practitioner and research papers from all sectors of information work. It includes case studies and good practice guides, including how librarians and information workers can facilitate information literacy from pre-school children to established researchers, digital literacy and information literacy for citizens."

"The 16th annual Internet Librarian conference recently concluded in Monterey, Calif. More than a thousand registrants and 215 speakers tackled the topic Transformational Power of Internet Librarians. While the sessions ranged from accessibility of digital content to web analytics, two themes took center stage: the future role of libraries and the reality of ebooks. As it turns out, some would assert that the future role of libraries depends upon the ultimate impact of ebooks.Role of Libraries

Depending upon whom you ask, libraries should serve as a platform for networking, return to their core competency as the keeper of print books, or launch new products and services as the enabler of content creation.

In the opening keynote address, David Weinberger advocated for the library as a platform for people, ideas, and works delivered through tools and services. Weinberger is senior researcher, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, co-director, Harvard Innovation Lab, and author of Too Big to Know. He says, rather than attempting to collect knowledge in the form of published works, librarians can advance knowledge through public learning, generous sharing, and the power of iteration. Weinberger used the experience of software developers as an example of fast, efficient, and effective learning as they collaborate through tutorials, versioning, and social connections to tweak and improve programs. He posited that libraries can serve as a networking platform that “provides the resources that let others create and flourish.”

"Is good customer service giving patrons everything they want when they want it? Is it being nice to everyone all the time, no matter what? How can you inspire and maintain positive customer service throughout your library? These essayists agree that the impetus comes from the top, but the effect spreads throughout the organization. I hope that the following insights help your library to become a truly welcoming place for everyone!"

We've covered Europe's, Asia's, Africa's, North America's and South America's most beautiful libraries; now it's time to take a look at Australia and, while it isn't technically a part of the continent, New Zealand as well.""

"As librarians we protect our services, collections, and patrons from censorship and bias. Simply put- We do not allow it. From too much left or right wing material to too much sci-fi or mystery. At our core we begin from a place of balance, equality, representation, and non-censorship. This is one of librarianship’s inherent characteristics that draw people to join the profession.

Interestingly I found this today:

Wikipedia Countering Systemic Bias Project

The Wikipedia project suffers systemic bias that naturally grows from its contributors’ demographic groups, manifesting an imbalanced coverage of a subject, thereby discriminating against the less represented demographic groups. …This project aims to control and (possibly) eliminate the cultural perspective gaps made by the systemic bias, consciously focusing upon subjects and points of view neglected by the encyclopedia as a whole."

"As more libraries begin adopting this amazing technology, and the general public begins to realize the vast number of applications for such a technology, I believe that a number of new questions will have to be answered by those overseeing its use. Questions such as “Should we allow anyone of any age to use our printers?”, “Should we censor what is printed by these machines?”and “What sort of oversight and rules should be put into place?”

Businesses run on information and by extending your information governance frameworks to the social media environment you will help ensure that all your business needs for information, now and into the future, will continue to be met.

To develop a social media information governance framework you could firstly:

map the business that is moving to social mediamap the information that is moving to social mediaassess your client information needs and expectations, as well as public accountablities that are dependent on your business information.
Via Karen du Toit

"Better Together is a short film about the potentials of partnerships between libraries and organisations, companies and users. The film introduces examples from Roskilde and Aarhus. Read more about partnerships (in Danish) at www.bygpartnerskaber.dk "

"Storytelling is the 'new' way of doing - selling, training, motivating. Yet, while we in libraries deal in story and deeply understand the social imperative of story, are we using story in our professional practice? To increase understanding of what good customer service is, for example, should we share those stories? Would it help to motivate and make the change? This 'story' is an example of how one might use such a method to begin the process. Nice."

"In the digital realm, what is typically referred to as “sharing” is actually copying—sometimes legal and sometimes not. Understandably, the ease and ubiquity of uncontrolled copying in a networked digital environment makes copyright holders uneasy. And the fuzzy line between copying and sharing in that environment also makes the question of what it means for libraries to “share” resources much more complicated than it might seem at first blush."

Should libraries share, or not?

"We don’t (or shouldn’t) share because 'sharing is what we do as libraries,' still less because sharing is somehow a 'core value' of librarianship. Sharing is a means, not an end. We share in order to provide access, and to the degree that 'sharing' actually means 'copying,' it is legally and ethically complicated."

"We live in a radically different information world from the one that gave rise to ILL. Instead of resisting that reality, we should embrace it, rejoicing in the ways it allows us to serve our patrons better."

"October apparently was ‘Library Month’ for me. I was the keynote speaker for the Minnesota MEMO conference and did a breakout session for the Iowa Library Association (ILA) conference. I also brought Dr. Mike Eisenberg to Iowa for three days to talk with school administrators about technology and information literacy. As a result, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on books, reading, and the future of libraries and librarians…"

"Random questions

What constitutes a “book” these days? When books become electronic and thus become searchable, hyperlinkable, more accessible to readers with disabilities, and able to embed audio, video, and interactive maps and graphics, at what point do they stop becoming “books” and start becoming something else?"...

"New Librarianship and the Library as Platform" Ticer 15th International Summer School on Digital Libraries 2012, Tillburg, Netherlands. Abstract: Change in academic libraries is nothing new."

"In his most recent lecture presented in Tillburg, Netherlands, R. David Lankes enjoins librarians to be "active in online education, new models of student learning, and helping the faculty adjust to disruptive change." Furthermore, he suggests, "Rather than being the heart of the university centered on a collection, libraries must become hubs that spread new practice throughout the organization."

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Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.